she was as vacuously pretty as a wax
doll.

"How do you do?" She came forward with a graceful fluttering movement.
"You are Willa, aren't you? I hope we are going to be terribly good
friends. I'm your cousin, Angelica."

"Named after a dessert." A languid, teasing voice came from behind
her. "Welcome to our city, my dear cousin! Hope you won't find us too
peaceable after Mexico."

"No fear!" The doll-like eyes snapped dangerously. "This is my
brother Vernon, Willa. Mother will be down in a moment."

Willa had suffered herself to be pecked at by the other girl's perfumed
lips, and now she took the hand of the dapper youth who confronted her.
He was fair like his sister, but the resemblance ended there. His nose
was long and sharp, his forehead slanting, his close-set eyes a
greenish-gray. She wondered how anything human could look so like a
fox, as she returned his quizzical stare with a direct, level one, and
relinquished his hand.

"I'm pleased to meet you," she remarked simply, and noted the quick
flash of amusement which passed from brother to sister. "I reckon I
can stand a little peace and quiet, after what I've been through
lately. I don't hardly know where I'm at, yet."

Vernon's mouth twisted suddenly as he turned away, and Angelica
responded in obvious haste.

"Yes, I imagine you do feel rather upset. Mr. North must have seemed
like a fairy godfather when he appeared with his astounding news for
you."

"A fairy godfather? He's kind of a hefty one, isn't he?" Willa
smiled, adding quickly: "He was real kind on the trip coming up; didn't
seem like he could do enough for me, but I reckon he was glad to get me
here at last."

"As we are to have you, my dear." A mild, genial voice sounded from
the stairs' foot, and the three young people turned. "Let me welcome
you to your home. We hope to make up to you for being exiled for so
long from it."

A tall, iron-gray head bent, and Willa found herself gazing into keen,
kindly eyes. Her own blurred as her hand rested between those of
Ripley Halstead and something seemed to grip her by the throat.
Gentleman Geoff's face swam for a moment before her in a mist of tears.

She essayed an unintelligible phrase, and perceiving her emotion, he
tactfully covered it.

"You must be starved; I know we are. Children, where's your mother?
After dinner we must have a little talk, eh? There will be so much for
you to do and see that we shall have to